Lemon Cupcake, Frit 3110, Ancient Ceramics and Reclaiming Question

When I was little, my mom made these cupcakes for my class on my birthday. Mom is one of the best cooks there is, and while this one looks a bit mushed (from travel), it was yummy!  With a little 10 x sugar on it, it is like no other.  It is a vanilla cupcake with lemon meringue scooped into it.... When the cupcake is done and cool, just take a knife and take off of the top part of the cupcake and then scoop in a bit of the warm lemon meringue.  Probably my favorite kind of cupcake!  Mom made this when I visited recently.

 The other day I finally made it to Claymakers in Durham.  I keep forgetting whether it's called Claymakers or Claymatters... but whatever it's called, I got some copper carbonate, custer feldspar and frit 3110 which will help me make a new blue glaze recipe.  :)  (Thanks, Tracey!  Claymakers...)

 With all the rain out, my flowers are happy including my zinnias and cosmos, both planted from seed.  Inexpensive and cheap!  :)  Oh and a vase of mine in a not so good pic.  Sorry!

 Back to more pics from a few hours spent in DC.  This was the closest I got to the Washington Monument.  Love the sky shot.

 While there, there was an exhibit highlighting different countries- and those which have indigenous groups whose language is in threat of becoming extinct.   One of those is a people group in Bolivia- and I am half bolivian, so I visited.  These are looms that are used to weave blankets and all kinds of woven things.

 While in DC went to the Asian American Museum... and saw this!  A balsa boat--- which is made on the shores of Lake Titicaca.  These are hard to find on the shores of that huge lake these days, but some of my ancestors-- my grandparents-- and others who have gone before me, made boats like these.  They're huge.

 This is interesting... languages that are at risk... saw this in that indigenous exhibit.

 Two ceramic forms in the central american exhibit- 'Ceramics de los Ancestros'  (Ceramics from the Ancestors)... Really like the shape of these forms.   Was in the National Museum of the American Indian.  Interestingly, it had much from Central America--- but not South America.

 Okay, these pictures are a bit scrambled.  Back to time in PA with family.  My mom's homemade custard.

 Custard- some of which I ate for lunch in DC with red raspberries I picked before I left.  Yum!

 Hmmm- back to the exhibit in the I make teabowls with this shape.  :)

 From that National Museum.  This even had a foot--- although hard to see.

 The full balsa boat...

 Beautiful woven things-- blankets are called ahuayos...

 And this is a chuspa.  I have one-- in other colors.  It is used by the indigenous people to- of course, carry things... in particular, coca leaves which make cocaine.  Mine is a purse.  :)

 listened to a mini concert by one of the Quechua groups--- from Bolivia.

 Flowers that love the rain...

Okay, so this is how where I put the clay water.  Then it settles and well, I pour off the water at the top.  So- a question:  do I just wait and then reclaim it--- or what's next.  What do you do?  I have no sink and really this is all the clay water I have from one year of making pottery.!
Silly question sorta...  Oh, and look at the insect.  dragonfly hanging out!  It was HUGE!

Packing Peanuts, D.C. and Bubble Wrap, Please!

 So, I spent time with family last week, celebrating fourth of July and well, actually just celebrating life together.  My parents are amazing; pottery is definitely a family thing as they've been collecting packing peanuts.  Brought over 7 bags back with me in my rental car, plus some boxes that I found at a nearby auction place and broke down.  (Boxes on left).  What is harder to find is bubble wrap.... or poppers.  Any ideas as to where to get that from--- would love to used recycled bubble wrap as I shop boxes from here to there.

 Came back and my plants are happy- due to the rain around lately.  Cuts down on the water bill too, which is a very good thing.

On my way driving back from PA I stopped in DC which was wonderful, yet a bit overwhelming and HOT!  I have blisters on my feet to prove.  It was a gorgeous hot day and I thought to myself of how much I would love to live near DC.  So many sights to see; I hardly saw much in the 4 hours I was there.  The 90 degree heat slowed me down a bit...  Next post will be about what I did see.

The Washington Monument.  Heard it was damaged in the earthquake.  Didn't know that- scaffolding all around... 

 Spent lots of time in PA with these two.  Precious Lily and Garrett- almost 5 and almost 3.  Life is too short to not be with family.  Even though I'm 8 hours away, I see family every other month or at least once every three months.  It's so worth the extra money.  It was simply wonderful having two little helpers or sidekicks around much of the time.  They are so well behaved which makes a huge difference.  They even helped me load the packing peanuts into my rental car.  Of course, they thought they were real peanuts when I said that word.  :)
Most importantly, they are full of tons of love and joy which made our time together unforgettable.  They grow so fast; they are so precious.

Here's a snapshot of my next post.  Went to a museum on the Mall that had a Ceramics Exhibit!  Lucky me.  Of course, I spent most of my time at the mall right there.  More soon...
Any ideas about where to get recycled bubble wrap?

Oh, and found this frog outside my garage door.  It has been so wet-- that the green frogs are so happy! Initially, he was in an old pottery bowl of mine playing in the rainwater collected in it.  Then I scared him, unknowingly....  Thanks for reading!  

Happy Fourth! Colors Everywhere

Happy Fourth of July!  Was just thinking how easy it is to take for granted our freedoms.
This just happened to be my breakfast.  Whole wheat waffles with fresh fruit and syrup.  Yum!  Even picked the red raspberries myself here at my parent's house.  :)
This reminds me that colors, art, and designs are absolutely everywhere- which inspires me to go put some clay out in the sun--- to help reclaim it.  :)  My sister Maria is on her way with her family and my brother Matthew will be here at some point so it will be a busy wonderful day.  Looking forward to it but enjoying a quiet, gentle morning.

Reclaiming Clay Wisdom, an Outdoor Auction Market and Free Boxes!

 Before reclaiming clay talk, here are two of my favorites- my niece and nephew.  I love it when they hear my name and RUN--- I mean run to me.  Age 4 1/2 and 2 1/2.  They are among the best.

Even though the ground was wet we picked black raspberries, mulberries, and in this basket is peas and also some mint tea.  They both ate as many berries as we picked.  They choose fruit over ice cream often for dessert.  I love this!  

 Now onto reclaiming clay.  I brought this bag full of clay trimmings and these plates and another whole bag to begin to reclaim.  No pug mill.  Just the old fashioned way.  I usually just put it out to dry in blobs in the sun, yet there isn't any sun these days.  Might put it downstairs next to the furnace to dry out a bit.  Any reclaiming clay wisdom?  It just takes SO MUCH TIME.  Oh well...

 Went to the nearby Roots Auction market with my sister Marcella this morning.  It was so funny how just about ANYTHING, and I mean anything was for sale.  Like these old soda pop cans above.  Mello Yellow, RC, Crush, sarsaparilla, you name it!

 And then things were for sale that I never imagined would be.  Like an old E.T. metal tray and play cars that didn't have all their wheels.  Worse than a yard sale, but oh so funny!

 Back at my parent's house.  So much rain that the flowers and plants are so green and the soil is just wet.  The caladiums are gorgeous and well, there's even a mushroom of some kind in the bottom left hand corner of the picture.

 Didn't go dumpster diving but got these boxes at the old auction market from the candy stand.  My parents also save and keep an eye out for peanut fillers and the plastic poppers that I'll take back with me as I'm out...

 More gorgeous flowers... my mom is the best gardener I know.  She makes it look easy.

 Oh, and back to the Roots Market.  Marcella loved the $1 table.  She ended up buying a necklace for well, $1.

 Even the coca cola display had some interesting things on it.  Notice- more cans!

And then there's James, Marcella's boy.  Another favorite.  He's almost 13 mos. old and loved throwing the peas out of the basket.  Crawling everywhere and oh so cute!  Next summer he'll be running around....  And he has more curls than some 2 year olds!  Sweet, caring boy.
Thanks for reading... and I'd love your reclaiming wisdom!  I wonder if there is a faster way for those of us who are pug-mill less.